Ikea UK ramps up sustainable shopping push with return of car boot sales following pilot at select stores

Ikea has announced that it will be hosting car boot events across more of its stores this spring, following a pilot last year.

The retailer is set to host the events at its Cardiff and Exeter stores on 18th and 19th May, and in Milton Keynes on 19th May.

The aim is to give locals a space to sell unwanted home furnishing goods, decorations and more (which don’t have to be Ikea products) to give a new lease of life to old items.

With a growing environmental awareness shaping the way consumers value the things they own, and how they shop, the event also aims to support buyers looking for more budget friendly and sustainability conscious solutions.

Last year, Ikea offered up its car park space to sellers at its Cardiff and Milton Keynes stores, with events in summer which proved to be popular, demonstrating increased demand for shopping formats which allow people to shop quality, pre-loved bargains.

Michaela Quinlan, Chief Commercial Officer at Ikea UK and Ireland, says: “We know that the way people shop is changing. The cost-of-living crisis and an increasing awareness of environmental issues is reshaping how customers value possessions.”  

“Having seen the success of  last year’s pilot, we’re happy to now be rolling out car boots across more of our stores.”

“Giving people more opportunities to live and shop sustainably continues to be a focus for us at Ikea and we look forward to welcoming more people, so they can grab a bargain while ensuring quality pre-loved homeware has a chance at finding a new home.” 

In addition to the car boot events, customers across the UK can make the most of sustainable initiatives inside their local Ikea store.

This includes its BuyBack & Resell service, which allows customers to sell unwanted Ikea items back to the retailer to gain credit to use in-store (in the form of a gift card), and its Reshop & Reuse service, where people can buy discontinued products, ex-display and pre-loved items for a fraction of the price.